Aphorisms / Aporias / Appropriations Derrida and Architecture (Case Study Canada)
Karpinski, Daniel

Abstract
In my text I explore a notion of “impossibility of architecture” in a post-colonial country, using Jacques Derrida’s concept of four aporias and Canada as a case study. The architecture, as part of indigenous culture – was supposed to be replaced by an (impossible) Gift of colonizers’ culture. This Gift through (impossible) Hospitality turned into genocide, which still awaiting (impossible) Forgiveness and Mourning. All culture is originally colonial. Post-colonial architecture is a part of postcultural world, where the post-colonial architecture is in constant process of over-layering new influences to blur even the potential interpretation of its origin (origin of a local or imported architecture). As a medium of politics and economy Canadian architecture nowadays translates cultural issues into propaganda, dematerializing its own work (products). Architecture as a temporal commodity is reduced to economic value and technical solution, to impossible architecture.

Full Text: PDF